Japan aiming to regain top spot in Samoa

JAPAN’S women’s cricket team are heading to Samoa in high spirits for the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier East Asia-Pacific, with the goal of going one better than their second-place finish two years ago.
Having won the tournament in 2010 and 2012, Japan lost a tight final to Papua New Guinea in 2014 but are aiming to go back to the top this year.
Despite the retirement of several senior players in 2014, there remains a lot of experience within the group alongside a handful of fresh faces. Japan have taken a new approach to coaching this year, with a variety of coaches coming from Australia to work with the players.
Lachlan Stevens (Victoria Bushrangers, Melbourne Renegades) ran a 10-day camp in May, while Nicole Martin visited earlier this month and will coach the team in Samoa.
Martin said: “This is a great group of girls who really want to do well.
“I hope we can replicate the good work in training when we get out in the middle.”